Dashboard-sign for street-railway cars.



No. 658,l58. Patented Sept. l8, I900. T. MILLEN.

DASHBOARD SIGN FOR STREET RAILWAY CARS.

(Application fi 1ed Feb. 16, 18984) (No Model.)

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THOMAS MILLEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DASHBOARD-SIGN FORSTREET-RAILWAY CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,158, dated September 18, 1900.

Application filed February 16, 1898. Serial No. 670,525. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MILLEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dashboard-Signs for Street-,Oars, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to dashboard-signs for street-cars, its object being to provide a suitablygrooved rack on the front of the dashboard, so arranged as to receive and hold in place interchangeable sheet-iron signs, as will be hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecificati on, my improved signrack is fully illustrated, with similar letters of reference to indicate corresponding parts, as follows:

Figure 1 represents a face View looking at the front of a car-dashboard as showing my improved sign-rack on one side of the dash with a sign containing the word Harlem resting Within the rack. Fig. 2 represents a top View of the same, showing the vertical grooves a a in the side rack-pieces c, which hold the signs in place. Fig. 3represents a rear view of the sheet-iron signs (1, showing the rubber cushions e, which rest against the front of the dash and prevent the sign from rattling, it being understood that the sign is made fiat and sprung in place before being slid within the grooves. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view showing the rubber cushions g g, which surround the lower bolts h h, which pass through the strap and the rubber cushions g g and which secure the strap to the dashboard. Fig. 5 represents edge views of the side rack-pieces 0, showing the manner in which the grooves a a are slotted through the side pieces in order to avoid being clogged with snow and ice.

It is intended to be shown by Figs. 2 and 4. that the bottom of the rack is also open, the bottom straps m'being held away from the dash by the bolts h, which are shouldered in the form of a stay-bolt to hold the strap in a rigid position separated from the dash.

The side rack-pieces c are provided with shoulders, as at c, to accommodate the straps on and n, and the bolts 0, which secure the straps m and n to the side pieces, also pass through the dash and secure the rack to the dash. The method of adjusting the sign is simply to slide it down from the top and let it rest with the lower edge upon the rubbercovered bolts, as at g g, Figs. 2 and 4.

It will be easily understood that a rack constructed in this form will have many advantages over the method of suspended hooksigns and solid racks, which would always become clogged with dirt, snow, or ice and absolutely useless in bad weather.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, 'and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- 1. A sign-carrying rack for street-railway cars which consists of the vertical side pieces 0 and 0 containing the grooves a and a, having their body portion formed into'open slots in combination with the transverse straps m and n curved to correspond with the dashboard of the car; the lower strap held in position by the bolts h and o, substantially as described.

2. A sign-carrying rack for street-railway cars consisting of the vertical side pieces 0 and 0 containing the grooves a and at having their body portion formed into open slots, suitable transverse straps as m and nformed to curve with the dashboard of the car and secured to the said side pieces as described, in combination with a sheet-metal sign adapted to slide within the grooves a and a and provided with raised rubber pieces as e and e to bear against the dashboard when the sign is sprung in place, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvement in dashboard-signs for street-railway cars as above described I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of October, 1897.

THOMAS MILLEN. 

